Message from Rei
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: [V-tamer] Rei writes a letter to Neo before following him to the Digital World. Neo reads it after returning.
1. Rei's Letter Part 1

**A/N:** Written for the Becoming the Tamer King Challenge, Data Forest Task, and for the Diversity Writing challenge, E6 - a drabble novel with drabble chapters exactly 100 words. These drabbles are going to alternate between bits of Rei's letter and Neo's reaction to reading them. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Message from Rei<br>1. Rei's Letter Part 1**

_Big brother,_

_The next time you see me, I'll be your enemy. If you're reading this…_

_If you're reading this, then it probably means you've come to regret what you've done. I hope that means a happy ending for everyone. Even though you probably still think I won't get mine. I'm not sure miracles like that exist._

_I want them to as much as you do, but not at this cost. Those poor digimon that are hurting, and poor Hideto – I can't stand what you're doing to them, big brother._

_If I'm wrong. If it's not too late – please. Stop._


	2. Rei's Departure

**Message from Rei  
>2. Rei's Departure<strong>

He should have realised how he was hurting her. But he hadn't. And because he hadn't, he'd exposed his little sister to…that.

Not only the dangers of the Digital World and the evil unleashed – but also the monster inside of him.

He was supposed to be the strong one. The one she could lean on – especially now that she couldn't walk and needed someone to lean on more than ever.

But he'd been swayed by promises of power and turned in to someone Rei felt she had to stand up against, to fight.

If only he had seen it before.


	3. Rei's Letter Part 2

**Message from Rei  
>3. Rei's Letter Part 2<strong>

_I hope it's not too late. I really do. I don't hate you, Neo. I can never hate you. And not just because you're my brother._

_The accident was – an accident. And it's hurt all of us. Me. You. Hideto – and now it's dragging others in as well…_

_This is our pain, Neo. We need to fight it. _

_I know that was what you were trying to do. Changing your dream. Deciding to be a doctor so I can walk again. Giving up your own dreams for me, though I begged you not to…_

_How can I ever hate you?_


	4. Neo's Regret

**Message from Rei  
>4. Neo's Regret<strong>

It hadn't been too late…but it easily could have been. If it hadn't been for Taichi being there. If it hadn't been for everybody else who'd tried to stop him. If it hadn't been for Sigma and Mari and Hideto rebelling.

If it hadn't been for Rei being there.

Things could have so easily gone differently. Things could have so easily gone _wrong._ Now, looking back, he couldn't see how _any_ of that would have helped Rei –

Least of all attacking her.

The road to hell was paved with good intentions.

Rei not hating him was more than he deserved.


	5. Rei's Letter Part 3

**Message from Rei  
>5. Rei's Letter Part 3<strong>

_If everybody's okay and we're back home and you didn't get the chance to shake the guilt off, I'll bet it's chewing at you know. If I'm still there, I'm sure I'm trying something to get you out of it. Can't think what yet though. Depends on how you are._

_If something has happened…well, I don't know what to say. It can be anything. Digimon dying. People dying. Me dying. You dying – but then, you won't be reading this…_

_I don't want anyone to die. But I'm not sure I can stop it. Stop you or that monster using you._


	6. Dead Digimon

**Message from Rei  
>6. Dead Digimon<strong>

No humans died. But digimon did. Neo had failed in that. He'd _done_ that.

And now it hurt. Because he'd killed, and now he had the guilt that came along with it. Even though all them humans were okay. Rei and Hideto and Sigma and Taichi. Even though they were back in the real world.

Data could be restored, but not the love those who had created those digimon had put into their hearts. Those were gone. The digimon reborn would be different.

He'd done that. Rei had tried to stop him.

Rei – and the others – had eventually stopped him.


	7. Rei's Letter Part 4

**Message from Rei  
>7. Rei's Letter Part 4<strong>

_I'm not sure I can do anything, honestly. But I'm going to try. I…have to do something. And you're not listening to me._

_Hopefully I can do something. Stop you somehow. Or help the others. Free you. Save you._

_You got so caught up trying to protect me that you sold your soul to the devil._

_I don't know if I'll get you back. But I'll try. I'm sure others will help. There are digimon fighting you. Maybe there are human fighting you too. And Hideto – he's helping you now, but once he understands…_

_Hopefully it won't be too late._


	8. Rei's Fear

**Message from Rei  
>8. Rei's Fear<strong>

Rei did do something. Lots of things. And in the end, he was saved. After everybody turned against him, he was saved.

And, reading his sister's letter, the letter he should have been there earlier to read, he could sense her fear. The powerlessness she'd felt, watching her brother change in to a monster.

_Why…why did I do that?_

He couldn't answer that question. Even now. He didn't know why. Just…somehow, he'd become warped. So warped that his desperation had turned in to indifference.

He knew when he'd stopped caring for Hideto. But when had he stopped caring about Rei?


	9. Rei's Letter Part 5

**Message from Rei  
>9. Rei's Letter Part 5<strong>

_I'd hoped Hideto would snap you out of it. The two of you used to be so close…but it's not working. Instead of him convincing you, you're convincing him. He's joining you. Becoming your puppet._

_Maybe it's out of guilt, but suddenly it feels like my voice isn't reaching him either. What is this monster – that cloaked thing on your computer screen – that's doing this? Blocking your ears to even me. Even your little sister…_

_I preferred it when you two weren't talking to each other, and it hurt plenty then. Remember all of the times I screamed and cried?_


	10. Hideto

**Message from Rei  
>10. Hideto<strong>

After Rei, that was the second thing Neo regretted. More than the digimon he killed – because all of that had come afterwards. Rei and Hideto had come first.

All his misdeeds had started from the two of them. Ignoring Rei. Hating Hideto – and just adding to the guilt Hideto had been burying himself under. But either of them could have pushed Rei out of the way. Either of them could have saved her.

Neither of them did. And yet Neo had dumped the blame on Hideto. Hated him…and then used him. And Hideto, feeling guilty, had let himself be used.


	11. Rei's Letter Part 6

**Message from Rei  
>11. Rei's Letter Part 6<strong>

_I guess I was a bit of a brat too. You would just ignore me (except for the sad look) when I complained about not being able to do this and that – and it was good, because I got used to it. When you wouldn't give me the remote because you were busy in something or other, I had to get it myself. It made me feel helpless at the beginning but then I got the hang of it._

_So I guess I should thank you for that. Unfortunately, you won't listen to me now, even when it's about to._


	12. Rei's Fault

**Message from Rei  
>12. Rei's Fault<strong>

It hadn't been Rei's fault. Yes, she was finding things difficult, but she had every right to. She suddenly couldn't walk after being able to since toddlerhood. _Anyone_ would have trouble.

Neo had just been shutting it out because it _hurt_. And because he'd been shutting it out, he hadn't been hearing it. And he missed it when one thing turned to another thing.

It wasn't Rei's fault at all. He'd been the one who hadn't listened to her. Who's forced her in to a dangerous situation because he hadn't been listening.

He was lucky Rei wasn't worse for wear.


	13. Rei's Letter Part 7

**Message from Rei  
>13. Rei's Letter Part 7<strong>

_But if it's not too late, please stop. The brother I love is still in there, I know it. And things haven't gone so far yet that they can't turn back. They won't. I believe that._

_I want to believe that, because everything else is too scary. We've been sheltered, haven't we? Sure Mum and Dad are never home, but nothing bad really happened to us until the accident. _

_It was something none of us really knew how to deal with. Neither is the digital world. Did it scare you? Was it something you had to control, like that car?_


	14. Old Life

**Message from Rei  
>14. Old Life<strong>

They _had_ been sheltered. Their parents were rich, but barely home. Rei and Neo had often been left to their own devices. And they'd had fun together.

Still, they'd been somewhat spoilt. Hideto had always been pushed around. That was part of what made him so easy to push around after the accident. But still, Rei was always the nicer one. The softer one.

Neo was the mean older brother looking out for his little sister. Or rather, that was what he was supposed to be. Until he got power-hungry, power-crazed.

Maybe he had been trying to control the world…


	15. Rei's Letter Part 8

**Message from Rei  
>15. Rei's Letter Part 8<strong>

_But you can't control everything. And it will destroy you. I'm afraid it will. And that I won't be able to stop it._

_I think I'm trying to talk myself out of this too. I'm scared, big brother. I don't want to fight you. But I know I have to. I know you have to stop._

_And even if I can't do anything, I have to try. If talking here won't help, I'll go there too. To the place that's changing you. And I'll find a way to change you back._

_I hope so anyway. Or someone – will save you._


	16. Little Sister

**Message from Rei  
>16. Little Sister<strong>

Rei was certainly right about that. Why oh why hadn't he read the letter before.

Because he'd run off to the digital world and started going crazy in it, that was why.

He rolled his eyes. His little sister had done _his_ job. He was supposed to look after the both of them. She'd done it instead. And if she hadn't come to the digital world…maybe Taichi and the others would have managed to snap him out of it anyway. Or maybe they wouldn't.

Probably wouldn't.

Rei ready to jump off the cliff because of him had shocked him badly.


	17. You Saved Me

**Message from Rei  
>17. You Saved Me<strong>

'You're crying, Neo.'

Neo laughs and throws the letter down. Rei's eyes follow it.

'I was reading your letter,' he says.

'Oh,' is all she can reply. 'Well…'

'And remembering when you were about to toss yourself off a cliff because of me.'

'Well…' She wrings her hands. She is still in a wheelchair. Not like the digital world. 'It…hurt.'

Neo stares at his computer screen. 'I know,' he says quietly. 'And…I wasn't ignoring you.'

'You're not looking at me now,' she accuses.

It's not really an accusation.

'It…hurt.' He repeats her words, because they're the best. 'But…you saved me.'


End file.
